Washing machine



R E F. R O T L A w A WASHING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet lNYEHTQu Dec. 10, 1929. A. w. ALTORFER v 1,738,753

WASHING' MACHINE Filed May 4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1H YEN '1' EH.

patented Dec. 10, 1929 A LIHETUS W. ALTOBFER, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGITOR T0 ALTORFER BROS. COM- PANY, 01 EAST PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A (JOIBEIE'ORA'J,IONv OF ILLINOIS WASHING MACHINE Application filed May 4,

This invention has reference to washing machines and it relates more particularly to that type of machine including a centrifugal dryer. 7 l

The invention has for its principal object to improve the construction of the centrifugal dryer; its method of expelling water-there from, the supporting means; closure, and the means for discharging water expelled by the extractor, at dilferent points circumferentially about the dryer.

The invention has for a further object to provide a rotatable extracting element where the water is expelled at a point considerably removed from the loading opening therein,

and to provide means for receiving and directing such expelled water vertically of such 'member and then radially and finally by a circumferentially adjustable conduit discharge such water into a washing tub or other receptacle or receptacles.

A further object of the invention is to provide a rotatable extracting receptacle surmounted by a. circumferentially adjustable water receiving housing arranged to receive water expelled by said receptacle and to discharge the same at different points. about such receptacle; said receptacle being vertically movable, whereby in one of its positions a water seal is provided to prevent leakage around the outside of the receptacle, during the loading thereof.

A still further object of the inventionis to provide a rotatable extracting receptacle surmounted by a housing circumferentially adjustable about said receptacle and to receive water discharged therefrom, said housing having a drain-board and discharge outlet adapted to be positioned indifferent positions about said receptacle, and a closure for said receptacle including means for moving the extractor bodily on its support, whereby it is suspended for free rotation with its driving element, a flexible connection being provided between said receptacle and its driving element to permit such bodily movement.

Fig. 1 is a topplan view of a. machine em bodying my invention, that part of the washing machine not included within the scope of the invention being shown in dotted lines,

1927. Serial No, 188,688.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of what is shown in Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the dryer and associated parts;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional detail of the upper part of one side of the extracting receptacle, the closure therefor and the looking means for such' closure which also functions to lift and bodily suspend the receptacle, and,

Fig. 5 is a plan view, partly broken away and partly in section, showing the underside of the closure'for the receptacle.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the figures.

In the drawings I have shown how the dryer would be mounted in the same support with a washing machine tub, the latter designated A having a washing element a operated from a vertical shaft 6 journaled .through the bottom of the tub. The top frame 1 for the tub extends laterally therefrom in the form of ,a ring-like extension 2 to serve as a support for certain elements casingor housing. 5 which is provided with an annular water conduit or chamber 6, formed by the outer annular wall of the casing or housing and a spaced but shorter upstanding annular wall 7 and a bottom portion 8 con-. necting the same. Said bottom portion normally rests and rides on the ring or flange 3 with an inner depending projection 9 lying nextadjacent the inner face of said ring or flange 3 and an apron 10 projecting downwardly from and forming part of the outer wall of the casing or housing 5 rests'and rides on the extension 2, spaced outwardly from the tapered surface of said ring or flange 3,

see Fig. 4. Blocks like that indicated at 11 may be interposed in the space between the tapered surface of the flange 3 and the spond to the tapered surface of said ring or from the conduit 6 to the flange 3, and associated with one of such blocks may be provided a locking screw 12 to cause such block to have an impinging and locking engagement with the ring or flange 3, whereby the casing or housing 5 may be held in diiferent adjusted positions about the upper end of the dryer, it being understood that said casing or housing is supportedto be manually and circumferentially adjusted about said dryer,

Extending radially from the casing or housing 5 is a shelf portion or extension 13 to provide a drain-board and said extension, together with an extension 14 of the bottom 8 of said casing or housing provides a discharge passage 15 of the conduit 6 to direct water from the conduit 6 and to discharge the same through a downwardly directed outlet 16 at the outer end of said shelf portion 13. The casing or housing 5 may be swung to position the shelf portion 13 and its outlet 16 over the tub A, as shown in full lines in the figures, -or over areceptacle or receptacles, as shown in dotted lines, (although the receptacles have been omitted), whereby the attendant doing the washing and drying operation may select the point of discharge of the water from the dryer..

While the passage 15 conducts the water point of discharge, the shelf portion 13 will catch drippings from clothes or other materials passed over the same from the tub or other receptacle to the dryer, and conduct such drippings from the shelf to the tub or other receptacle.

The top of the casing or housing 5 is provided with an enlarged annular opening 17 for the placing or removal of the extracting receptacle, to be described, and through which there also has movement a lid or cover for such receptacle, as will be explained.

Normally overlying and extending dia-v metrically across the opening 17 of the casing or housing 5 is a support 18, which is hinged at 19 to one side of the housing to permit said support to be raised and lowered and a locking means, as at 20, is adapted to secure said support in place, when lowered.- Secured through said support and preferably mediate its ends is a tubular member 21, see Fig. 3 and reciprocally carried through said tubular member is a push rod 22 having a button 23 secured to its upper outer end, and coni nected with its lower inner end is an annular grooved member 24 provided with a seat 25. Carried by said tubular member 21 is an annular plate 26 forming a lid or closure 'for the upper end of a vertically disposed rotatable extracting container orv receptacle "27. Said plate 26 has a central hub struc ture 28 to receive a suitable self aligning ball bearing connection 29 between said plate and said tubular member 21. The outer edge, of said plate 26 is formed or provided with a preferably under-curved bearing portion 'or surface 30, see Fig. 4.

Secured to the under side of the plate 26 is a plate 31, which, at diametrically opposite points, in positions transversely disposed with respect to each other, are pairs of guides 32, see Figs. 4 and 5 for reciprocally arranged locking and supporting bars 33 having tapered-outer ends, as at 34. This plate 31 is-so shaped by pressing or otherwise, as to be inclined away from the lower end of the tubular member 21, and formed or provided in axial ali nment therewith, with a depending cone-li 'e portion 35 having a seat 36 facing the seat 25 in the grooved member 24 on the end of the push rod 22, see Fig. 3. In

said seats 25 and 36 is carried a coil spring 37 normally expanded to retain the push rod 22 in its upper extended position, as shown in Fig. 3. The bars 33 have pivotally connected to their inner ends bell-crank levers 38, the opposite ends of which operate in the annular groove of the grooved member 24 on the end of the push rod 22, and said levers are fulcrumed on supports 39 extending radially downwardly from the hub 28 on the plate 26. hen these parts are in normal operative position, the bars 33 are in their outward extended positions, see Fig. 3. lVhen the push rod 22 is depressed, compressing the spring 37, the bars 33'are retracted, in inoperative position, see Fig. 4.

The plates 26 and 31 provide an enclosure or housing in which is located the operative parts for actuating the bars 33, as will be seen from an examinationof Figs. 3 and 4, and said enclosure or housing and said operating parts, including the bars 33 being carried by the support 18 hingedly connected to the casing or housing 5, it is obvious that the same may be swung from within the easing or housing 5 to an upper position, or loweredtherein to a closed and operative position, the self aligning ball bearing connection between the plate 26 and the tubular member '21 permitting the enclosure, including the plates 26 and 31 and operative parts therewithin to rotate about the axis of said tubular member 21.

The extracting receptacle 27 which is disposed vertically and adapted to be rotated at a speed to bring about the centrifugal action desi ed for drying clothing and other materials therein and for expelling the water extracted. therefrom into the conduit 6 of the and.the lugs 46 of the lower plate 44 is a flexible connection, comprising an annular ring of flexible materials 47, preferably of fiber and a very thin annular ring 48, preferably of steel. This connection, while providing a driving connection between the element 40 and the container 27 permits a flexing of such connection, whereby the container or receptacle 27 may have a slight vertical bodily movement imparted thereto and yet maintain such driving connection between these elements.

The container or housing 27 for the greater part of its lower portion ispreferably of inverted truncated-eone-shape, while its upper portion is more or less truncated-cone-like in shape. In other words I prefer to construct said container or receptacle with a bulge-like body, the greatest diameter being about midway in its length. This may be accomplished by shaping the wall of the container or receptacle with the more or less well defined angular part 27, or with a rounded bulge, al-

. though not shown,-but will be understood,

such shape being left to a question of practice with the manufacturer. At or adjacent the point of the bulge 27 and preferably in the upper part of the body wall of said container or receptacle I provide the annular row of discharge openings 49 for the egress of the water extracted from the clothes or other materials loaded within such receptacle. Surrounding, preferably the upper half of the container or receptacle I provide the spaced encircling Wall 50, connected at its lower end to the wall of the container or receptacle 27 at or about the point 27', the space between the two walls being greater at the upper end than at the lower end of wall 50 due to said wall being carried upwardly. at "about the same inclination as the wall forming the lower portion of the container or receptacle 27,

as :is best seen in Fig. 3. The upper end of the wall 50 is preferably turnedoutwardly and downwardly, as at 51, being more or less arcuat'e in shape, and such curved portion 51 overlies the upper endof the ring or flange 7 of the housing 5, see Figs. 3 and 4. Connecting the upper ends of the wall 50 and the wall forming the container or receptacle, is a ring 52, its outer portion formed or provided with water passages52' between the two meeting surfaces, while an inner angular portion 53 of said ring has a convex surface 54 to provide a rest or seat for the curved surface 30 of the plate 26 adapted to act as the lid or closure for the upper end of I the receptacle 27, when the same has been lowered into operative contact therewith, it being understood that when the plate 26 is brought into impinging contact with the ring 52 said plate 26 and parts carried thereby will be caused to rotate with said container or receptacle, when rotative movement is imparted thereto.

When the container or receptacle is being revolved it is preferable that it be caused to assume the position seen in Fig. 3, with the curved upper end of the container or receptacle raised slightly above the ring or flange 7 of the'casing or housing 5, but when in inoperative position, being the loading position, it is preferable to have such curved portion 51 resting on the ring or flange 7, as shown in Fig. 4. In this latter position there is little or no chance of water or suds dripping frorn'the clothes or other materials, be ing loaded into the receptacle, finding their way out of the conduit 6 of the casing or housing, orthe upper edge of the ring or flange '7 and streaking down the outer wall 50 and onto the main wall of the casing or container and marring the exterior surface thereof.

Furthermore the structure shown, provides in effect, for the suspension of the container or receptacle from the enclosure, in cluding the plates 26 and 31, and support 18, and permits when the lid 26 is in closed and locked position to lift the container bodily,

, raising the curved part of the wall 50 from off the ring or flange 7, and when said plates 26 and 31 are in open position the container or a receptacle may drop slightly and the curved portion. 50 of the container or receptacle rest on the ring or flange 7 and provide a seal against the escape of water or suds from the conduit 6 of the housing over the ring or flange 7.

In operatlon, the attendant, when lowering the support 18 and plates 26 and 31 will de-,

press the rod 22 which will compress the spring 37 and at the same time actuate the levers 38 andiwithdraw the bars 33 into inoperative position, permitting said bars to be lowered, past the angular portion 53 of the ring 52 connected to the main wall of the container or receptacle and the wall 50. When the support is i n closed position and the rod 22 is released the spring 37 acts to; move the levers 38 and force the bars 33 outwardly, their tapered ends 34 riding under a like tapered surface 55 on the angular portion 53 of the ring 52 and lock the'plates 26 and 31 into operative position with the ring 52 and ofl the ring or flange 7 of the housing. The

49 in the container or receptacle, is, by centrifugal action carried to the top of the container or receptacle and between its main wall and outer wall 50 and discharged radially therefrom through the passages 52' and depositedinto the conduit 6 of the housing 5, from which it finds outlet through the radial passage 15 and outlet 16 into the tub A or other receptacle, depending on the position of the casing or housing 5 and the shelf portion 13 thereof.

The shape of the container or receptacle tends to crowd the clothing or other materials down into the lower part thereof, assisted by the inverted cone-like portion 35 depending from the plate 31 which has a tendency to crowd same equally about the center of the container or receptacle and more evenly balance the same. I

lVhat I claim is z- 1. In a centrifugal extractor, a rotatable receptacle having a body bulging circumferentially intermediate its ends and with water discharge openings in proximity to such bulging portion, a casing encircling said receptacle with one end joined thereto providing a Water conducting chamber between said casing and receptacle and adapted to receive water expelled through the openings in said receptacle, and a member manually and circumferentially adjustable about said receptacle and having a conduit to receive water expelled from said water conducting chamber and provided with a discharge outlet adapted to be selectively positioned for the discharge of water at different positions circumferentially of said receptacle.

2. In a centrifugal extractor, in combination, a rotatable receptacle, a driving element, a flexible driving connection between said receptacle and element to permit the receptacle to be moved axially, a member supported at the top of the receptacle for receiving water expelled from the receptacle and in conjunction with the receptacle adapted to provide a seal when'the receptacle is in loading position, a removable closure for the receptacle, and means for securing said closure to rotate with the receptacle and ,for lifting the receptacle to break said seal and to suspend said receptacle from said closure.

3. In a centrifugal extractor, in combination, a rotatable receptacle, a driving element, a flexible driving connection between said receptacle and element to permit the receptacle to be moved axially, a member supported at thetop of the receptacle for receiving water expelled from the receptacle and in conjunction with the receptacle adapted to provide a seal when the receptacle is in loading position, a removable closure for the receptacle, means for securing said closure to rotate with the receptacle and for lifting the receptacle to break said seal and to suspend said receptacle from said closure.

4. In a centrifugal extractor, in combination, a rotatable receptacle, a driving element, a flexible driving connection between said receptacle and element to permit the receptacle to be moved axially, a housing supported at the top of the receptacle in a manner to adapt said housing to be manually and circumferentially adjusted about the receptacle and having a conduit for receiving water expelled from the receptacle and provided with a radial drain board extension and water conducting passage to be selectively positioned at different points about the receptacle, said housing having means acting in conjunction with the receptacle to provide a seal when the receptacle is in loading position, a removable closure for the receptacle, and means for securing said closure to rotate with the receptacle and for lifting the receptacle to break said seal and to suspend said receptacle from said closure.

5. In a centrifugal extractor, in combination, a rotatable receptacle, a driving element, a flexible driving connection between said receptacle and element to permit the receptacle to be moved axially, a member supported at the top of the receptacle for receiving water expelled therefrom and in conjunction with said receptacle adapted to provide a seal when the receptacle is in loading position, a support movably connected with said member, a closure rotatably connected With said support and adapted when the support is in one position to have an engaging relation with the receptacle to rotate therewith, means for securing said closure in closed position on the receptacle and for lifting the receptacle to break said seal and to suspend said receptacle from said support, and means for re-' leasing said closure from the receptacle permitting the latter to move to loading position. 6. In a centrifugal extractor, in coinbina tion, a rotatable receptacle having a bd bulging circumferentially intermediateifits ends and with'water discharge openingsin proximity to such bulging portion, a casing encircling said receptacle with one end joined thereto providing a water conducting chamber between said casing and receptacle adapted to receive water expelled through the openings in said receptacle, and means movably supported in relation to the upper end of said receptacle and provided with an element adapted to extend into the receptacle for compressing materials placed within the receptacle to aid in the proper extraction of water from such materials, whereby such water is discharged-through the openings in said receptacle.

thereto providing a water conducting cham-' ber between said casing and receptacle adapted to receive water expelled through the openings in said receptacle. a ring member conmeeting the corresponding ends of the receptacle and casing and so related to the casing as to provide water conducting passages for expelling water from the chamber radially of said receptacle. a housing supported to bemanually and circumferentially adjusted about said receptacle and provided with a water conducting conduit and an outlet to receive and discharge water expelled by the receptacle at selected points thereabout, a. support movably connected to said housing, a closure for the receptacle rotatably connected with said support and adapted to engage said ring for rotation therewith and with said receptacle, means for locking said closure in operative position in said ring, and means for releasing said locking means.

8. In a centrifugal extractor, a material holding receptacle closed at its lower and open at its upper end, means to rotate said receptacle from its lower end, means to flexibly connect the lower end of said receptacle with said rotating means. whereby to permit axial movement of the receptacle, liquid conductingmeans at the upper end of said receptacle ly adjustablemeans to secure the closure to said receptacle, and means to actuate said radially adjustable means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand this 30th day of April, 1927. ALPHEUS W. ALTORFER.

adapted to receive liquid discharged from said receptacle, means to provide a seal between the upper end of said receptacle and said conducting means, and means to move the receptacle axially to effect and break said seal.

9. In a centrifugal extractor, a receptacle for drying clothes and other materials which is closed at its lower and open at its upper end and having an enclosing wall tapered outwardly from its ends to provide a mediate bulging portion with an annular row of water discharging openings in proximity to such bulging portion, a casing encircling said receptacle with one end joined thereto providing a water conducting chamber between said casing and receptacle and adapted to receive liquid expelled through the openings in said receptacle, and a closure for the open end of said receptacle having an element adapted to extend into the receptacle for compressing materials placed within the receptacle to aid in the proper extraction of Water therefrom.

10. In a centrifugal extractor, a rotatable receptacle, means to receive liquid expelled from said extractor, a closure for the receptacle, a movable support for the closure, radial- 

